Just out of interest, why would anyone put liquid f***ing nitrogen into a drink? The whole point of a liquid turning into a gas when warm is that it expands. And the stomach does close up after allowing food or drink in. What did they think, that they could belch out any excess nitrogen?

Its a "fad" thing Q. The nitrogen is supposed to "boil" off before you drink it.... but as my science geek of a daughter so wisely said when she saw one.... "WHO THE F#%K WOULD PUT LIQUID NITROGEN INTO A DRINK!!!???? WHO THE F#%K WOULD DRINK IT????"

Del wrote:Its a "fad" thing Q. The nitrogen is supposed to "boil" off before you drink it.... but as my science geek of a daughter so wisely said when she saw one.... "WHO THE F#%K WOULD PUT LIQUID NITROGEN INTO A DRINK!!!???? WHO THE F#%K WOULD DRINK IT????"

Del wrote:Its a "fad" thing Q. The nitrogen is supposed to "boil" off before you drink it.... but as my science geek of a daughter so wisely said when she saw one.... "WHO THE F#%K WOULD PUT LIQUID NITROGEN INTO A DRINK!!!???? WHO THE F#%K WOULD DRINK IT????"

I know. Your daughter has a lot of uncommon sense.

One daughter has... the second one would most probably think it was so cool!

I explained in detail to her what would be involved in a stomach bursting when it came on the news. Dont think she will be trying it anytime soon.

That poor poor young girl. What she must have suffered. Lets hope she will be okay. Why is noone being prosecuted over this?

Two weeks ago I was approached by a government agent while I was in fixing up some payments and forms for Morgan for her secondary studies. I was a bit teary at the time and she came over to ask after me and the girls. H was with us and we got talking about my concerns for H in the coming year and her safety after school as she wont be eligible for "child care" or after school care at her age. The government got out of billions of dollars of child care costs a few years ago by decreeing that all children over 12 are perfectly capable of looking after themselves by themselves at home if their parent/parents are working.

H is a good kid, but I wouldnt leave her alone for any length of time, let alone all day during the school holidays with her condition. I have tried letting her come home alone on her bike (count the minutes on that one), I have tried letting her let herself inside and then lock the doors. . . and half an hour later come home to find her with all the doors open. I have tried "being a stranger" and she opens the door every damn time.

So this agent told me I should apply to be her "carer" and not a "single parent". Its not as easy as it sounds. Proving she is not capable of being alone requires X amount of points, reports from four or five specialists (I have ONE) all of which cost the earth to get... and then going through hoops and jumps to prove it. Then interviews with her. As you all know she can be a VERY rational expressive young lady at times.... then two minutes later she will climb the rail on the back deck and balance three stories up. I know parents of severely brain injured children who have to work the required hours under the "single parent" agreement and leave their teens alone. Thankfully I have managed to meet requirements with a part time job until now and with the aid of after school care, and a boss who gives me the jobs that fit in with her times, have managed to be with her when she is home.

I like working. Life is easier when I work more than a part-time job. There is more money. But I cant do 9 hours a day and travel AND weekend rosters.

This new legislation means that those part-time hours are now invalid. "Newstart" (job finding) means you can be forced to take any job offered to you regardless of the hours. And frankly I am quite highly qualified when it comes to job hunting. Alot of jobs now though require you to work weekends or Thursday nights.

So not only am I going to be up against a brick wall NOW trying to justify being her "carer" (because you can bet all the other mothers of handicapped kids in my boat will be also looking to re-qualify), there will be a huge percentage of people who just dont want to work wanting to slip the system too. It also means that hundreds of thousands of other sole parents will also be desperately looking for exactly the same jobs as I need JUST to make up the lost income.

Totally apart from my own situation.... there are some parents who are not going to manage on these cuts. My heart breaks for them and their children. I mean WHY would they even think of cutting the educational assistance to students who are parents???? A parent who is studying full time is now required to also look for work AND raise a family AND take a hit financially???

The Government here ,as well, is hitting people who are disabled or on any type of benefit - solely with the aim of saving money.The ruined lives of the individuals involved do not concern them. Money rules.

It infuriates me.

Going to my school was an education in itself. Which is not to be confused with actually getting an education (Schultz)

But you see.... I DO work... and because I work already (and frankly MOST sole parents work part-time) then I lose much MORE money than someone who does NOT work!!! On the current scheme for sole parents I can earn up to $88 I think it is... then I get "taxed" 40c in the $ for every dollar after that... on the Newstart I can earn $33 then I get "taxed" 50 to 60c in the $. And my earnings mean that H's tax exemption is further cut back. So I can effectively be working for MINUS wages... going to work for less than if I didn't work (which isnt much). Lets not take into account that when I do work I have to pay for petrol and the child care costs (she will get child care up to the end of this year ONLY because her carer is on the school grounds).

Now what I REALLY have a problem with......... is that our fair FEMALE (First ever female Prime Minister mind you)...(oh and childless)... spent an inordinate amount of time today delivering a speech to Parliment about the empowerment of women in the workforce and how we should encourage them to smash the glass ceiling (well she did!) by further education, etc. WHEN SHE has just cut the throats of women trying to gain further education while raising children.

But she did find the time to rush this bill through without ANY consultation from social groups who demanded it and decree it is in violation of the constitution and world guidelines. Oh and without any extra funding to inform parents of the changes or extra staff to handle the changes or enquiries, or job placement.

This from a woman who lives in an defacto relationship with her partener but who wont pass a same sex marriage bill because it is "immoral" for two people to make a lifetime commitment under law.

Del wrote:Its a "fad" thing Q. The nitrogen is supposed to "boil" off before you drink it.... but as my science geek of a daughter so wisely said when she saw one.... "WHO THE F#%K WOULD PUT LIQUID NITROGEN INTO A DRINK!!!???? WHO THE F#%K WOULD DRINK IT????"

What scares me the most is the quote that this girl was supposedly "one of the more mature and hard-working students in the school." I'd really be terrified to meet the lazy, immature ones...

And now for something completely different yet regrettably similar...this one goes out to Raptor, our native Sunshine State member....